Not everyone is blessed with hair that falls perfectly into place. Some need to coach their hair a little to get the look they want and others fight a never-winning battle when it comes to taming their tresses. In order to help in this battle, many turn to chemical relaxers and perms to make their job easier. Should you?

The first thing to remember when choosing to perm or relax your hair is that chemical processes can cause damage to your hair. This is important because choosing the wrong procedure at the wrong time can leave you with a mess that’s harder to deal with than what you currently have. So, before you decide to perm or relax, make sure your hair is in the condition to handle it.

Another thing you should think about is all of the state-of-the-art ceramic thermal flat irons and curling irons that are on the market. If you can achieve your look with one of these, you might be able to pass on the chemical process. And with the new ionic technology available, even the kinkiest hair can be sleek and shiny.

So, when should you relax or perm? Follow these guidelines:

· If your hair is stubbornly kinky curly or coarse and straight, getting a relaxer or perm can make your hair more manageable. A relaxer will change the texture of your hair and make it easier to work with. A perm will help break down your hair so that it is easier to curl and style.

· If your hair is fine and limp and there is not much of it, a perm can give you much-needed body. Wearing a perm will make your hair appear thicker and fuller than it does straight.

· If you have ethnic hair, it is almost always a good idea to relax. Extremely curly black hair can be a hassle to deal with. It gets tangled easily and is impossible to comb. It also never gets longer, just bushier which limits your hairstyles dramatically. By getting a chemical relaxer, you can get length and manageability in one easy process.

· If you like the look of a perm and don’t color your hair, you should get a perm. If you do color your hair often, perhaps you should try out some different thermal curling tools to minimize the damage done to your mane.

The bottom line is this: choose a chemical process when it is in the best interest of your hair’s health. If the process would cause more damage than do good, maybe you should wait.

Jenny is a hair expert, and the author of an incredible free minicourse, that explains how to find your unique style, how long or short you should have your hair, how to find the right hair color for you, how to find the right salon, and a lot more.

Go to http://www.hairstylevillage.com/ now and get this amazing hair minicourse – absolutely free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Andrews